Missing teen’s body found inside hotel’s walk-in freezer

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CHICAGO -- The body of a missing 19-year-old Chicago woman was found inside a hotel walk-in freezer on Sunday, according to WGN.

According to family members and police, Kenneka Jenkins, 19, left her home around 11:30 p.m. Friday to celebrate her new job at a nursing home, WGN reported. The party was on the ninth floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont.

Her mother, Tereasa Martin, received a call around 4:30 a.m. Saturday from Kenneka’s friends, who said they couldn’t find Kenneka after the party. Her mother went to the hotel and asked the staff to check surveillance video in hopes of finding any trace of her daughter.

The hotel staff referred her to police, and dispatchers told her to wait a few more hours because her daughter could still be out with some of her friends.

Martin and her other daughter went searching for Kenneka or anyone who may have seen her. The hotel called police and reported them for disturbing the peace.

The family filed a missing persons report Saturday afternoon, and staff began canvassing the hotel after the report was filed.

Early Sunday morning, the staff found Jenkins in a walk-in freezer. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police believe Kenneka was drunk when she walked into the walk-in freezer and died inside.

"She was so drunk--that was his exact words--she was so drunk she couldn't hold herself up. She was holding on to the wall," Martin told WGN.

Martin believes her daughter would have had trouble opening the heavy door if she was drunk and would’ve realized she wasn’t getting into an elevator or a hotel entrance. She also said many coolers have safety features that make it possible for someone to open them from the inside.

She also believes her daughter may still be alive if the hotel had started the search for her earlier.

Her cause of death remains under investigation.

Crowne Plaza Hotel issued a statement Sunday evening:

We are saddened by this news, and our thoughts are with the young woman and her family during this difficult time. The hotel staff will continue to cooperate fully with local authorities. All further questions should be directed to the Rosemont Police Department.